Kraków 2022-07-18
Passenger car 120A, Bwixt, Bh, Bp, B11p, “Bonanza”.
The 120A wagon, Bwixt, was developed in Wrocław at the PaFaWag factory in 1972. It has been in operation since 1973. The 120A wagon is a variant of the 104A family “Y” standard wagons already produced in Poland. The wagon was designed mainly for non-electrified, local routes with moderate passenger traffic. Complete wagons replaced wagons built before 1945, of which PKP had a large inventory in the 70s of the 20th century. Together with the withdrawal of the last pre-war carriages, carriages of the type 120A, together with the older 43A, 101A and 102A, became the basic rolling stock in passenger trains on local lines at PKP. After 2002, together with the Bhp series double-deck carriages, they became the only carriages in use on schedule, equipped with efficient steam heating devices. The rest of the carriages had only electric heating.
After 1985, the 120A type wagons were designated as the Bh series, and after 2009, also as Bp or B11p.
It is worth adding that the wagons have some of the same equipment as the EN57 EZTs, which were produced in parallel at PaFaWag. The wagons have the same seats, tables, and ceiling luggage racks. The same internal doors were installed. The same technologies were used. Production of the 120A wagons was finally completed in 1985.
T-T data of the 120A type wagon:
Length with buffers 24.50 m. Width 2.88 m. Height 4.05 m. Bogie spacing 17.20 m. Number of compartments 3. Number of seats 88. Net weight 38,000 – 38,500 kg. Bogie type 4Anc or 4Anc/2. Running speed 140 or 160 km/h. Smallest curve radius 150 m. The wagon floor is located at a height of 1.22 m above the rail head. The first entrance step is located at a height of 0.61 m above the rail head.
The 120A wagon is walk-through and has been equipped with doors on the ends of the wagon, with the passage secured by platforms and rubber rollers. One-piece sliding doors made of aluminum. Sliding compartment doors. Entrance to the wagon is provided by two pairs of doors on each side. The doors are double rotating-folding, UIC type. Because of these doors, the car was slangily called “Bonanza” because they resemble the entrance to a “wild west” saloon. The car is equipped with steam and electric heating. Temperature control is by means of thermostats. Natural ventilation is used in the car by opening windows and vents placed in the roof. The windows are 1.20 m wide and there are 11 of them on one side, plus two extreme windows of the toilets. The windows are divided, and their upper part is lowered. Single panes. There are two toilets in the car placed at the ends of the car body. The toilets are exceptionally tight and are in an open arrangement. The passage door to the next car is one-piece and moves away to the side where there is no toilet. Hot water comes from a water heater in the water tank (2 × 400 liters).
The 120A wagon frame is welded from 18G2ACu and 10HA steel, adapted for the installation of an automatic coupler. The body structure is welded from profiles and covered with 2 mm thick St3SYCu steel sheet. The roof is covered with 1.5 mm thick steel sheet. The walls are filled with polystyrene. The wooden floor is covered with vinyl. The interior of the wagon is lined with Unifleks laminate. Soft sofas covered with imitation leather are installed in the compartments. The sofa spacing is 1.62 m, and the middle is a passage with a width of 0.64 m.
Type of rolling bogie 4Anc or 4Anc/2. The bogies are equipped with electric generators type PW 114d-03, with a power of 4.5 kW. The wagon is equipped with acid-type batteries with a capacity of 495 Ah. Wheel set with a wheel diameter of 0.92 m. Rolling bearings are used. Oerlikon system brake, type Est4d/REL1/ML1, 2 cylinders, cylinder diameter 14″ (356 mm). Currently (2022), several 120A wagons are in operation. During the repairs of the P5 level, several wagons were adapted to transport bicycles. One of the end compartments received positions for placing bicycles and a different arrangement of passenger seats. In 2021, the Pomeranian PolRegio Plant carried out a repair of the P5 level of one 120A wagon. This was related to the intended use of the wagon to service connections in Podlasie by the SA106 railbus + 120A wagon. The SA106 DMU sets + 120A wagon had already performed well in Podlasie. The pilot program was to contribute to the elimination of white spots in rail transport and to promote tourism in Podlasie. The interior of the renovated wagon was completely changed. New seats were installed. Disabled passenger service was enabled and bicycle racks were installed. LED lighting was installed.
SA106 vehicles + 120A wagon can be found on the Białystok – Suwałki, Białystok – Waliły, Białystok – Czeremcha, Białystok – Hajnówka and Hajnówka – Siedlce routes, and from July 1, 2021, also on the route to Siemianówka.
Currently (2022) about 20 120A wagons are in use in Poland. Looking at current trends, it is possible that this number will not decrease, and it is possible that after general renovations, more wagons will return to the railway lines. But as modern wagons, with automatic doors, closed toilets, air conditioning and adapted to serve disabled passengers.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman